The deeper Arivaan and Devika moved into the city of Ujjaini, the louder and more chaotic the streets became.
Morning had fully arrived now.
Golden sunlight spread across the rooftops while the marketplace erupted into activity.
Traders shouted loudly to attract customers.
Metal tools clanged as blacksmiths hammered glowing iron.
The smell of spices, roasted meat, and fresh bread drifted through the air, mixing with the sounds of carts rolling over stone streets.
For Arivaan, the atmosphere felt strangely refreshing.
Just a few hours earlier he had been trapped in a burning fortress surrounded by death.
Now he stood in the middle of a bustling market where life continued as if nothing had happened.
Devika walked beside him under the cloak, her hood pulled low over her face.
Despite the disguise, she kept her gaze down and avoided looking directly at anyone.
Arivaan noticed.
"You're tense again."
Devika didn't respond immediately.
Instead, she scanned the crowd around them.
"There are Rakshak patrols in the city," she said quietly.
"That's normal for a place like this."
"Yes."
"But if even one of them recognizes me…"
Arivaan shrugged casually.
"Then we'll deal with that problem when it happens."
Devika frowned.
"You really are reckless."
"Maybe."
Arivaan slowed his pace as they approached the center of the market.
This part of Ujjaini was famous throughout the region.
It was known as the Bazaar of Secrets.
If someone wanted rare items, forbidden books, or strange artifacts, this was the place to find them.
Merchants from distant kingdoms traveled here regularly.
The stalls were packed closely together, forming narrow paths filled with people.
Colorful fabrics hung overhead like banners, blocking the sunlight and casting shifting shadows across the ground.
Arivaan looked around with interest.
Rows of shops displayed strange objects.
Ancient scrolls sealed in wooden cases.
Daggers engraved with mysterious runes.
Bottles filled with glowing liquids.
Even small statues carved from unknown stones.
Devika watched him carefully.
"You're looking for something specific."
"Yes."
"What?"
Arivaan glanced toward her briefly.
"Information."
He stopped in front of a narrow stall hidden between two larger shops.
The stall owner was an elderly man with long grey hair and sharp eyes.
Unlike the other merchants shouting for customers, he simply sat quietly behind his table.
His stall displayed several small artifacts.
Ancient coins.
Broken amulets.
Fragments of old crystals.
Arivaan's attention immediately focused on those crystals.
They looked similar to the jewel that had shattered the previous night.
Devika noticed the change in his expression.
"You think that man knows something."
"Maybe."
Arivaan approached the stall.
The old merchant looked up slowly.
His gaze lingered on Arivaan for a moment before shifting toward Devika.
Even though her face was hidden beneath the hood, the merchant's eyes seemed unusually observant.
"What can I help you with?" the man asked calmly.
Arivaan picked up one of the crystal fragments from the table.
The surface glowed faintly with purple light.
His heart skipped a beat.
"Where did you get these?"
The merchant smiled slightly.
"Old ruins in the eastern mountains."
Arivaan turned the fragment over in his hand.
The glow was similar.
But weaker.
Much weaker.
"These are incomplete pieces," the merchant continued.
"Fragments of ancient relics."
Devika listened quietly beside him.
Arivaan leaned closer.
"Ancient relics?"
"Yes."
The merchant lowered his voice slightly.
"They are believed to come from artifacts used by tantric scholars of the old kingdoms."
Arivaan's eyes narrowed.
"Artifacts connected to mental control?"
The merchant's smile widened slightly.
"You seem unusually informed."
Arivaan placed the crystal fragment back onto the table.
"I heard rumors."
The merchant studied him for several seconds.
Then he spoke quietly.
"There are many relics in this world."
"Most are harmless."
"But some contain powers that were banned long ago."
Devika stiffened slightly.
The merchant noticed immediately.
"You should be careful with such things."
Arivaan crossed his arms.
"Why?"
"Because some powers attract the attention of dangerous people."
The merchant leaned forward.
"Especially the Rakshak Sabha."
Devika's hands tightened beneath the cloak.
Arivaan remained calm.
"What kind of powers are we talking about?"
The merchant glanced at the crystal fragments again.
"Relics that affect the mind."
"Relics that bind the will of others."
Arivaan felt his pulse quicken slightly.
That sounded extremely close to the ability he had gained.
The merchant continued speaking quietly.
"Such artifacts were forbidden centuries ago."
"Most were destroyed."
"But occasionally… fragments still appear."
Devika suddenly spoke.
"Who destroyed them?"
The merchant's eyes moved toward her.
"The Rakshak Sabha."
The stall fell silent for a moment.
Then the merchant leaned back in his chair.
"But I assume you're only interested in collecting curiosities."
Arivaan smiled slightly.
"Of course."
He reached into his pouch and placed a few coins on the table.
"I'll take one of the fragments."
The merchant accepted the coins without hesitation.
Arivaan picked up the crystal piece and placed it carefully into his bag.
Then he turned away from the stall.
Devika followed him as they moved deeper into the marketplace.
After several minutes, she spoke quietly.
"That merchant knew more than he said."
Arivaan nodded.
"Yes."
Devika looked at him.
"And now you know something too."
"What's that?"
Devika's voice became serious.
"The power you're using…"
"…was banned for a reason."
Arivaan glanced toward the floating panel again.
Assimilation: 36%
His smile returned.
"Then I guess it's a good thing no one knows I have it."
Devika's eyes remained cold.
"That won't last forever."
Arivaan looked around the crowded market.
People walked everywhere, unaware of the dangerous secret hidden among them.
"Maybe not."
He turned toward the central district of the city.
"But for now…"
"…I'm still ahead of everyone."